We can’t read a deer’s mind to know exactly how it reacts to various odors but it’s clear that we don’t have to get to zero
human odor in order to avoid spooking deer. That’s good because zero human odor is pretty much an impossible goal. So,
while it’s not possible to entirely eliminate human odor, it is possible to reduce your odor to the point where deer do not spook
from the scent. They may believe the human is far away or perhaps have long since left the area but it is possible to keep
your scent to a level where its faint enough that they won’t panic.
Another thing to consider is that not all odors spook deer and an odor that spooks one deer may not worry another. An
example is diesel fuel. I’ve heard it said many times, ‘Don’t wear your hunting clothes while filling up your gas tank.’ That would
seem to make sense but on the other hand, I know guys that use diesel fuel as a cover scent because deer in their area do
not associate diesel fuel with danger. They are used to smelling diesel from the non-threatening farm equipment that they
regularly encounter. Although there are other scents that deer associate with danger, the main one seems to be human
sweat. One of the main places that sweat is generated and spread around is from the palms of your hands. One of the
biggest things to do to control your scent is to spray your hands with a scent absorbing spray. Do it repeatedly. Spray
your hands before you touch your equipment. Spray your hands before you put your hunting clothes on. Spray
your hands again before you touch your tree. Etc., etc. Spray your hands multiple times each day. Did you drive to your
spot? Then you must have touched the steering wheel of your vehicle, so spray your hands. When is the last time you
sprayed or washed the handle of your bow case? SPRAY YOUR HANDS!
human odor in order to avoid spooking deer. That’s good because zero human odor is pretty much an impossible goal. So,
while it’s not possible to entirely eliminate human odor, it is possible to reduce your odor to the point where deer do not spook
from the scent. They may believe the human is far away or perhaps have long since left the area but it is possible to keep
your scent to a level where its faint enough that they won’t panic.
Another thing to consider is that not all odors spook deer and an odor that spooks one deer may not worry another. An
example is diesel fuel. I’ve heard it said many times, ‘Don’t wear your hunting clothes while filling up your gas tank.’ That would
seem to make sense but on the other hand, I know guys that use diesel fuel as a cover scent because deer in their area do
not associate diesel fuel with danger. They are used to smelling diesel from the non-threatening farm equipment that they
regularly encounter. Although there are other scents that deer associate with danger, the main one seems to be human
sweat. One of the main places that sweat is generated and spread around is from the palms of your hands. One of the
biggest things to do to control your scent is to spray your hands with a scent absorbing spray. Do it repeatedly. Spray
your hands before you touch your equipment. Spray your hands before you put your hunting clothes on. Spray
your hands again before you touch your tree. Etc., etc. Spray your hands multiple times each day. Did you drive to your
spot? Then you must have touched the steering wheel of your vehicle, so spray your hands. When is the last time you
sprayed or washed the handle of your bow case? SPRAY YOUR HANDS!
Your body: Wash yourself with a proper hunting
scent free soap. Many hunting soaps leave a residue
behind that kills bacteria, which definitely helps hold off
body odor for a while after use. It’s really the bacteria
breaking down your sweat etc, which creates the deer
spooking odor. Regular soap does not kill bacteria for
an extended period of time and usually contains
fragrances as well. Use a hunter’s underarm deodorant
like Scent Shield. I started using Biowild when it came
out last year and it really works. You spray Odor Block
on your pits, the center of your chest and any other
odor producing areas like the backs of your knees. It
lasts for days slowing down the perspiration and any
related odors. Foot odor block is probably an even more
important product which significantly dampens down foot
odor and sweat. Dust yourself down, especially your
crotch with Hunters Edge. It’s also good to rub some
through your hair. Hair is another place that generates
and holds lots of odor. Avoid spicy, smelly foods,
excessive alcohol, garlic, beans, etc. Before heading
into the woods, start chewing a piece of Gum-o-flage, a
regular mild gum, or eat an apple to get rid of odors
from your breath.
scent free soap. Many hunting soaps leave a residue
behind that kills bacteria, which definitely helps hold off
body odor for a while after use. It’s really the bacteria
breaking down your sweat etc, which creates the deer
spooking odor. Regular soap does not kill bacteria for
an extended period of time and usually contains
fragrances as well. Use a hunter’s underarm deodorant
like Scent Shield. I started using Biowild when it came
out last year and it really works. You spray Odor Block
on your pits, the center of your chest and any other
odor producing areas like the backs of your knees. It
lasts for days slowing down the perspiration and any
related odors. Foot odor block is probably an even more
important product which significantly dampens down foot
odor and sweat. Dust yourself down, especially your
crotch with Hunters Edge. It’s also good to rub some
through your hair. Hair is another place that generates
and holds lots of odor. Avoid spicy, smelly foods,
excessive alcohol, garlic, beans, etc. Before heading
into the woods, start chewing a piece of Gum-o-flage, a
regular mild gum, or eat an apple to get rid of odors
from your breath.
| What’s a good scent reduction program? |
Boots: Boots really fall under the
clothes category, but they are such a
special problem that they warrant
some specific discussion. As we step
down, our boots give off a puff of air,
rich with all the odors of our feet. That
could be a problem couldn’t it? Don’t
wear your hunting boots to do anything
but hunt. Store them thoroughly
dusted down with Hunters Edge. Spray
them down with scent free spray
before heading out. Dust down your
feet with Hunters Edge and if
necessary, take it up a notch and
spray your feet down with foot odor
block from Biowild. It lasts for almost
two weeks before you need to reapply.
Before heading into the woods, spray
your boots with a little cover scent
such as fall essence or fox or coon
urine.
Your Tree: Assuming you’re a tree
stand hunter, you need to be careful of
leaving scent on and leading to your
tree. To climb up we end up touching
the ladder, the steps, the tree, etc.
Again, the biggest thing is to spray
down your hands before touching
anything. You should have a small
bottle of scent free spray in your pack
and use it. If you leave your funky
human odor trail leading to your tree
and up to your stand then not only
during your hunt but long afterwards,
all night long, even while your curled
up in bed, your lingering scent trail is
warning every deer that passes by to
steer clear. Worse, if they detect
human odor more than once in that
spot, it will take a long time before they
are comfortable in that area again.
clothes category, but they are such a
special problem that they warrant
some specific discussion. As we step
down, our boots give off a puff of air,
rich with all the odors of our feet. That
could be a problem couldn’t it? Don’t
wear your hunting boots to do anything
but hunt. Store them thoroughly
dusted down with Hunters Edge. Spray
them down with scent free spray
before heading out. Dust down your
feet with Hunters Edge and if
necessary, take it up a notch and
spray your feet down with foot odor
block from Biowild. It lasts for almost
two weeks before you need to reapply.
Before heading into the woods, spray
your boots with a little cover scent
such as fall essence or fox or coon
urine.
Your Tree: Assuming you’re a tree
stand hunter, you need to be careful of
leaving scent on and leading to your
tree. To climb up we end up touching
the ladder, the steps, the tree, etc.
Again, the biggest thing is to spray
down your hands before touching
anything. You should have a small
bottle of scent free spray in your pack
and use it. If you leave your funky
human odor trail leading to your tree
and up to your stand then not only
during your hunt but long afterwards,
all night long, even while your curled
up in bed, your lingering scent trail is
warning every deer that passes by to
steer clear. Worse, if they detect
human odor more than once in that
spot, it will take a long time before they
are comfortable in that area again.
Equipment: Frequently spray down
your equipment with an odor absorbing
spray. Spray your hands before
touching your equipment. One thing to
be careful of is the residue that the
sprays leave behind. Don’t leave a
layer of it on your arrow or arrow rest
or it may well make noise when you
draw. Other than that, give everything
a good coating. I believe lots of guys
are betrayed by their backpacks. We
are constantly touching the stuff in our
packs with our bare hands. The rope
we carry to haul up our bows etc has
been run through our fingers over and
over again, collecting more and more
odor each time. Does your sheathe
have little bits of dried blood, meat,
guts, etc. from deer gone by? Mine
does, no matter how I try to clean it
afterwards. Once again, scent free
powder, specifically Hunters Edge is
our best friend. Sprinkle some in your
pack every hunt or two. Once in a
while, dump out the powder that has
accumulated at the bottom of your
pack. Sprays can only work on the
surfaces that they hit. The powder
works its way into everything and is
perfectly suited to descent your pack.
When I dig in my pack, puffs of powder
waft out and I know no deer will be able
to pick up any scent coming from it.
your equipment with an odor absorbing
spray. Spray your hands before
touching your equipment. One thing to
be careful of is the residue that the
sprays leave behind. Don’t leave a
layer of it on your arrow or arrow rest
or it may well make noise when you
draw. Other than that, give everything
a good coating. I believe lots of guys
are betrayed by their backpacks. We
are constantly touching the stuff in our
packs with our bare hands. The rope
we carry to haul up our bows etc has
been run through our fingers over and
over again, collecting more and more
odor each time. Does your sheathe
have little bits of dried blood, meat,
guts, etc. from deer gone by? Mine
does, no matter how I try to clean it
afterwards. Once again, scent free
powder, specifically Hunters Edge is
our best friend. Sprinkle some in your
pack every hunt or two. Once in a
while, dump out the powder that has
accumulated at the bottom of your
pack. Sprays can only work on the
surfaces that they hit. The powder
works its way into everything and is
perfectly suited to descent your pack.
When I dig in my pack, puffs of powder
waft out and I know no deer will be able
to pick up any scent coming from it.
Clothes: Wash your hunting clothes with a proper scent
free hunting soap. Regular laundry soap usually contains
fragrances and UV brighteners that will work against you.
Before you move your clothes from the washer to the dryer,
spray your hands with scent free spray. It’s best to hang
your clothes to dry outside where they won’t pick up
unnatural odors. If you have to use a dryer remember that
dryers suck air from your house, heat it and blow it through
your clothes. That means all the odors in your house are
attaching themselves to your clothes as the dryer runs.
Once your clothes are dry, spray your hands before
touching your clothes and pack them away. There are two
ways to go at this point. You could try to keep your clothes
as scent free as possible or you could add cover scents to
your clothes. I pack my clothes with Hunters Edge scent
absorbing powder, going the scent free route. I feel it’s best
to try and absorb every scent molecule possible until I go
hunting. Puffs of powder and dust billow off of me as I get
dressed but the scent absorbing powder has permeated my
clothes making them more scent absorbing than any
carbon suit ever made. Lots of hunters will pack their
clothes with cover scents, either natural scent from
acorns, leaves, branches, etc. thrown in with the clothes or
using a purchased cover scent like earth scent or fall
essence etc. I can’t say they’re wrong but as I said I try to
keep scent free as much as possible and only add cover
scents when I’m about to hunt. Pack your clothes as air
tight as possible until it’s time to hunt. Garbage bags
shouldn’t be used to store your clothes because they give
off a pretty strong petroleum odor. I use Rubbermaid type
totes with thin foam weather strip around the top. Once
scent free powder has been in them awhile, they don’t give
off the plastic or petroleum smell that they do initially.
free hunting soap. Regular laundry soap usually contains
fragrances and UV brighteners that will work against you.
Before you move your clothes from the washer to the dryer,
spray your hands with scent free spray. It’s best to hang
your clothes to dry outside where they won’t pick up
unnatural odors. If you have to use a dryer remember that
dryers suck air from your house, heat it and blow it through
your clothes. That means all the odors in your house are
attaching themselves to your clothes as the dryer runs.
Once your clothes are dry, spray your hands before
touching your clothes and pack them away. There are two
ways to go at this point. You could try to keep your clothes
as scent free as possible or you could add cover scents to
your clothes. I pack my clothes with Hunters Edge scent
absorbing powder, going the scent free route. I feel it’s best
to try and absorb every scent molecule possible until I go
hunting. Puffs of powder and dust billow off of me as I get
dressed but the scent absorbing powder has permeated my
clothes making them more scent absorbing than any
carbon suit ever made. Lots of hunters will pack their
clothes with cover scents, either natural scent from
acorns, leaves, branches, etc. thrown in with the clothes or
using a purchased cover scent like earth scent or fall
essence etc. I can’t say they’re wrong but as I said I try to
keep scent free as much as possible and only add cover
scents when I’m about to hunt. Pack your clothes as air
tight as possible until it’s time to hunt. Garbage bags
shouldn’t be used to store your clothes because they give
off a pretty strong petroleum odor. I use Rubbermaid type
totes with thin foam weather strip around the top. Once
scent free powder has been in them awhile, they don’t give
off the plastic or petroleum smell that they do initially.
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